Power plant



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F. A. TWINKLE.

POWER PLANT 4. Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 20, 1924 POWER FLANT Filed; Dec. 20, 1924 l Sheets-ShQGt 2 Um m mm, mmmm IF. A. TWIFNMLE POWER PLANT Filed Dec. 20, 192-41 4; Sheets-Sheet 3 POWER PLANT Filed Dec. 20, 192.4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 above mentioned type.

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rowan lt 'lhtll l'w.

application tiled heceinher an, that.

lhis invention relates to power plants, and

more particularly to steam generating systems for use in vehicles although it may be used with equal advantage for other purt poses.

lit contemplates more especially the pro vision of means constituting individual steam generating units arranged within a coanhus tion chamber so as to expose a maaimurn. ra-

lll diating or absorbing surface to the hot com hustion gases issuing from the burner ele ment.

Further, the generating units, in this in stance a series of individual spirally ar ranged spaced coils, are interconnected so as to create a uniform pressure throughout the system, and also to effect the withdrawal of moisture or condensate from the generating units.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction and. operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is the provision of a more ellicient, and less COIllPliCtttfi-Bfl device of the This is accomplished in the present embodiment by pro viding unusually large heat absorbing surfaces to completely utilise practically all of the heat inherent in. the products of combust-ion prior to their escape from the combastion chamber.

it further object is to provide compact,

durable, and efficient power plant.

lit is also an object of this invention to as provide in aplant of this hind a, watertube boiler which has a maximum of steam storage for the provision of reserve steam.

@ther objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illusl trated embodiment of the present invention On the drawings: Figure l is an assembled view of the iii-- stallation embodying this invention. 7

Figure ll is a detail view partly in section at of the gasoline valve and actuating mechanism therefor.

Figure Jill is a plan view of a part of the installation shown in Figure l.

Figure ll?" is a sectional view of the boiler i talren at the line l-d of Figure V and showing parts in elevation and parts omitted.

Figure V is a cross sectional view along the line 55 of Figure IV, with parts shown in elevation.

Figure Vlt is a cross sectional view of part of the automatic control mechanism.

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Figure FM is a detached plan view of the tire boa with the burner connected thereto.

Figure Will is an elevational view partly in section of igure l/ lll. Figure is a diagrammatic sketch showing the wiring of the control mechanism;

.ds shown on the drawings:

:l he boiler selected for illustration comprises a casing 1 preferably of circular cross section, which is provided with a suitable opening at the topv thereof to receive a horiaontally disposed water supply pipe it preheater coil 8%, in this instance a pipe do l ning a spiral, occupies the uppermost portion of the casing and is in communication with the water supply pipe 2, As shown the p pe 3 terminates in a vertically disposed pipe which projects downwardly through the top of a cylindrical header etsupported within the casing near the wall thereof in any appropriate manner, so as to discharge the initially heated water near the bottom for said header l.

cries of spirally arranged. generating cpils h each having a plurality of convolutions in a, common plane, are spaced within the casing l in superposed relation and con stitute battle means The several coils 5 are in connection at their outer ends with the header i.- at the vertically spaced points in the length of said header. The other end or inner eutremity of each coil 5 communi cates with a header 6 vertically disposed within the casinp; in this instance, in pron imity to the header t, which header 6 is ion-- gitudinally apertured as at 6 to receive and establish commrmication with the radial connection 5 of each of the coils so as to serve as inter communicating means for the coils 5. lfhus it will be apparent that the generating pressure is uniformly maintained throughout the generating system by reason of the headers t and 6, and that the presence of errcess moisture and condensates is avoided by permitting the latter to be discharged to the headers whereupon it is returned to the lowermost coil which is in proximity to the burner thereby tending to produce steam of high tpuality.

it pipe 2' which leads to the steam control mechanism, is secured in any suitable mar nor to the upper eatremity of the header ti and branches into a pipe 8 which depends along the outside of the generating coils 5 and is connected to the storage coil 9 heli callv arranged within the casing eatericr to ill ill

tan

ltlti and surrounding the generating coils 5 in spaced relation. It is to be noted that the pipe 8 extends downwardly to the lowermost portion of the helically rising storage coil 9, whereas .the upper extremity of said coil '9 communicates with a vertically disposed pipe 10 which also depends outside of the generating coils and is connected to a spiral superheating coil 11 similar to one of the generating coils and terminating. at its center at 12 to enter the engine through suitable valves.

With the arrangement of parts above described it will be apparent that a compact, durable steam, and eflicient generating plant has been provided which is adapted to withstand excessive pressures largely owing to the fact that a uniform pressure is maintained throughout the generating system, since each generating coil is in communication with the headers 4 and 6 which serve as pressure equalizers.

A cover plate 13 is secured in any suitable manner to the top of the casing-1, and 1s centrally apertured to communicate with a flue 14 which leads to the atmosphere. The member 14 is provided with an opening centrally located with respect to the casing 1, which is in communication with the central opening of the plate 13. A circular closure plate 15 is associated with the stack 14 to cover the opening provided therein. A plurality of bolts 17 extend through appropriate openings spaced about the periphery of the plate 15, and are anchored in the cover plate 13. A helical spring 16 is associated with the shank of each bolt 17 intermediate the extremity thereof and the. closure 15, so that when the pressure becomes excessive and reaches a predetermined value, the plate 15 will be raised against the action of the spring 16 thereby relieving the pressure. The nuts of the bolts 17 may be adjusted to vary the tension in the spring so as to control the release of the pressure at any predetermined value.

A fire box 18, preferably of circular cross section, is secured to the lower edge of the casing 1 in any appropriate manner. The interior of the fire box 18 is provided with a lobe formed integral with the interior thereof diametrically opposite the fuel feeding mechanism, so as to impart a twirl to the fuel in order to assist in completely atomizing the fuel and insuring complete combustion thereof.v

The burner mechanism.

heart shaped portion of said fire box. The

outer portion of said cylindrical member 19 communicates with and is secured in a casting 20 which is shaped to provide a nozzle 21, a chamber 22 and an aperture 23 communicating between said chamber and nozzle. The exterior wall forming the inner portion of chamber 22 and the nozzle 21 is cylindrically shaped and is in axial alignment with and extends part way into the cylindrical member 19. A closure member 24 closes the exterior of the chamber 22 and has adjustably secured therein a hollow tube member 25 the inner end of which is partially closed to constrain the flow of oil therethrough to a fine stream. The outer end of the tube 25 communicates with a fuel supply valve 26 which is securedin the closure member 24 and adapted to be adjusted to vary the flow of oil to the tube 25. A pipe 27 communicates with valve 26 for supplying fuel thereto. A pipe 28 communicates with the chamber 22 for supplying steam thereto. A tube 29 is secured to, and communicates with, the interior of casting 20. The tube 29 is similar in shape to tube 25 and extends inwardly to a point adjacent the nozzle 21. The tube 29 communicates with a pipe 30 for supplying gasoline thereto. The casting 20 has also secured thereto a blower 31 which also communicates with the interior of said casting.

Extending into the cylindrical member 19 adjacent the nozzle 21 and the mouth of tube 29 are a pair of spark plugs 32. The spark plugs 32 are electrically connected to a suitable spark coil 33.

The gasolene value.

By referring to Figure II there will be seen the valve and mechanism for controlling the supply of gasolene to the burner via the pipe 30.

Supported on a housing 34 of the gasoline valve is a solenoid 35 which when energized is adapted to rock an arm 36 about a pivot 37 on a bracket 38 integral with a housing 39 secured to the housing 34, and hold said arm 36 in rocked position. The housing 39 is apertured to receive a guide member 40 in which is slidable a stem 41 suitably secured at one end to one end of the arm 36 and rigidly sccured at the other end to a bearing member 42. Said bearing member 42 is rigidly secured to a diaphragm 43 clamped between the housing 39 and the housing 34. A second bearing member 44 is slidably secured on the stem 41 beneath the guide member 40. A spring 45 surrounding the stem 41 and adapted to hold the bearing members 42 and 44 apart acts to hold the diaphragm 43 in flat position. The upper portion of the housing 34 is recessed to receive a valve stem 46 having a flanged head thereon by means of which a spring 47 surrounding sai stem and acting. against the bottom of the recess is adapted to impel the stem upwardly against the diaphragm 43. The bottom of the stem 46 is shapedto form a valve 48 which when drawn oll " sure in the hoiler.

s earer upward from its seat 55 due to the energies- Automatic steam out/ac.

'llhe pipe 7 previously referred to in connection with the hoiler (Figure lllf) has secured thereto shove the hoiler casing l a lmemher 51 (Figure Vi) with which it communicates. Rigidly secured to the t -member 5t and communicating therewith are additional i memhers 52 and 55. integral with memher 55 is a valve housing 5t which emhraces a valve and valve stem 55 therein. hiaid valve and stem 55 heing adapted to he manipulated hy a handle thereon for admitting steam. from the aipe 7 to a hy-pass 57 suitahly connected to t e housing 5d and communicating therewith ahove a valve seat 55 of the valve 55. Pipe 59 is rigidly secured to the "l memher 55 and communicates therewith The other end of the pipe 59 is connected to the water regulator which may he of any suitahle type for regulating the supply of water to the'hoiler in accordance with the steam pressure. The pipe is rigidly secured to the l'-memher 52 and communinotes with the interior thereof. The other end of the pipe is connected to a suitable steam gauge for indicating the steam pres- Jihe memher 55 is also rigidly secured to a plate memher 5i and communicates with an aperture 55 extending through said memher 5t, 1t diaphragm is clamped hetween said plate memher 5i and a housing 5th in the end of the housing 5d opposite to the memher 5i and aligned with the aperture 52 in said memher is a guide memher 55 "the guide memher 55 has slidahle there-- througln a stem 55., tilidahly secured on the stem 55 heneath the guide memher 55 is a hearing memher 57 which is adapted to he ahutted lay a spring 55 secured around said stem. lltigidly secured to one end of the stem 55 is a second hearing memher 59. tiaid hearing member 55 is adapted to shut the diaphragm 55 and he actuated thereby in ac cordance with the pressure on the other side of said diaphragm.

trivially aligned with the housing 54 and secured on a common support therewith is a housing 7 l which is apertured to receive the other end of the stem 55, ll he housing 7i has secured thereto a housing 72, @lamped hetween the two housings fl and 75 is a diaphragm 75. Within the housing 72 is a valve and stem 7 4t, said stem having a rounded head thereon. The diaphragm 75 is preferahly shaped to conform to the curvature of the head of the stem 75 and the housing 71 re cessed therefor, The interior of housing 72 is enlarged near the diaphragm 75 to support a spring 75 which is adapted to ahut the head of the stem 7 4t against the diaphragm 73 for normally holding said stem and valve thereon in open position away from a seat 75 in a connection 77 communicating with the b0515 ing. The left hand end of the stem 55 normally shuts the diaphragm 75.

The pipe 57 is connected to the housing 72 and communicates with the interior thereof shove the seat 7 5.

The spring 55 is comparatively strong and it may he adjusted, hy adjusting the guide memher 55 which is threaded in the housing 5d, to the pressure desired so that when the pressure on the steam side of the diaphragm 55 hecomes too great the stem 55 will move to shut the diaphragm 75 and act to close or partly close the valve 74L to cut off the steam to the pipe 55 and the humor tdecured on the stem 55 is a stop member 75 which is adapted to actuate an arm 79 about a pivot 55 on the support 75 in accordance with the movement of said stem. The upper end of the arm 79 is forked to contact with a pin 51 secured on a dish 52 which is adapted to oscillate shout lined cylindrical member 55 having a notch 5t in its left hand periphery.

1h pair of contactors 55 and 55 are secured on the dish 52 and are adapted to oscillate therewith. The contactors 55 and 55 have electrically connected thereto hinding posts 57 and 55 respectively. The contactor 55 is pivoted on the dish 52 at the point 59 and is spring impelled ahout said pivot point against the periphery of the member 53. ti roller rotatahle shout a pin 9i in the contactor 55 is adapted to ride on the periphery of the member 55 and to move out vof the notch 5a in said periphery when the dish 55 has heen rotated sutliciently When the roller 95 moves out of the notch 55, contact points 99; on the contactors 55 and 55 will separate for cutting out the spark plugs and gasoline supply, as will he descrihed hereinafter. W hen the stem 55 moves to the right as will he the case when the steam pressure is low and the dish 52 will he moved in a cloclrwise direction causing the roller 95 to drop again into the notch 54: resulting in the gasoline supply and spark plug being again operated as will also he described hereinafter.

Electric control mechanism.

15y reference to 9 will he seen the electric connections of the various mechanisms for the purpose of controlling the same and the operation of the plant.

it hattery 95 has its positive terminal connected to the arm 95 of a hand switch 55., which is preferably secured on the dash hoard, and the negative terminal connected to the hinding post 55 of the automatic steam switch The latter terminal of the hattery llllfl ltitl is also connected to the negative terminal of the blower (motor) 31. The arm 96 is adapted to be contacted with contact points 97, 98 and 99 on the switch 95, said arm being wide enough to contact with two of said points at once if desired. The point 97 is connected to the positive terminal of the blower 31. The point 98 is connected to the positive terminals of the spark coil 33 and the solenoid 35. An ammeter 94 is inserted in the line between the positive terminal of the battery and the svn'tch 95 to show the current flowing in the circuit. The negative terminals of the spark coil 33 and the sole noid are connected to the binding post 87 of the steam controlled switch. It is o be borne in mind that the binding posts 84 and 88 are connected together when the pressure is low in the boiler and on starting up.

The operation is as follows-When it is desired to start the plant up the arm 96 is moved to cover the points 97 and 98 thereby energizing the blower (motor) 31, the solenoid 35 and the spark coil 33 causing the gasolene valve 48 (Figure II) to admit gasolene to the burner and the spark plugs 32 to ignite the same. The blower 31 will furnish the necessary air for complete combustion so that a hot flame is directed across the nozzle 21 into the fire box where it is swirled upward by means of the previously described shape of the fire box 18. When the steam has formed in the boiler the fuel valve 26 (Figure VIII) is opened to admit fuel oil to the tube 25 of the burner and the valve (Figure VI) is opened to admit steam through the pipe 57 and valve 74 to the chamber 22 of the burner where it rushes out the aperture 23 and the nozzle 21 drawing the fuel oil from the tube 25 and atomizing it as it leaves the nozzle. When the atomized oil and steam strikes the gasolene flame and the spark plugs it ignites. It is a characteristic of this burner that the fuel valve may be set in open adjustment and thereafter the admission of steam will govern the flow of oil and the heat of the flame.

The switch arm 96 may then be moved off of the point 97 to cut out the blower (motor). When sufli'cient head of steam has been obtained the stem 66 (Figure VI) will be moved to the left by the steam pressure on the diaphragm 63 which will cause theseparatlon of the contact points 92 electrically disconnecting the posts 87 and 88 (Figure IX) and cutting out the spark coil and the solenoid 35, thus shutting ofi the spark and the gasolene to the burner. The movement of the stem 66 to the left due to excessive pressure will also retard the flow of steam through the valve 74 to the burner thus decreasing the flame. If later, the pressure drops, the stem 66 will again move to the right opening the valve 74 further and increasing the flow of steam to the burner, increasing the flame, which tends to restore the pressure. If the arm 96 (Figure IX) is left in position over the contacts 97 and 98 and the pressure drops sufliciently so that the stem 66 moves far enough back again to the right the contact points 92 (Figure VI) will again close cutting in the gasoline, and spark plugs, starting up the gasoline flame to aid the primary-fuel oil flame.

It is thus seen that the pressure in the boiler is automatically kept up.

It will also be seen that the steam may be quickly raised by the use of the auxiliary heating means in the burner.

It will also be seen that the plant is compact and that the water tube boiler in combination with this type of fire box and burner gives high evaporating power so that the power per unit space is unusually high.

It will also be seen that due to the arrangement of tubes in the boiler, a high convection is obtained giving a maximum circulation and heat transfer and that superheated steam is delivered to the engine reducing the loss in economy from condensation.

It is also evident that the installation is simple and economical of manufacture and upkeep.

It is further apparent that the arrangement of tubes and connections is such as to take care of expansion and contraction due to rapid changes in temperature.

It will be also evident that the parts are easily accessible for inspection, renewal or repair.

By the provision of the spring pressed closure onthe boiler casing damage from excessive pressure within iseliminated.

It is also to be notedthat by providing the particular form of fire box the fuel from the urner is given a double whirling motion which results in practically complete combustion within the fire box and boiler giving off a maximum number of B. t. u.s per gallon of fuel and wasting a very small percentage out of the stack. Thus the highest economy is obtained.

By providing the diaphragm type of valve, leakage of gasoline and steam is eliminated.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a power plant, a series of vertically spaced generating coils, each having a plurality of convolutions in a horizontal plane, a pair of headers outside the series of coils and to which the opposite ends of the coils are connected at vertically spaced points along the headers. a preheating coil above the series of generating coils having a discharge pipe dolll) reenter pending into one of the headers, a storage coil surrounding the series of generating coils in spaced relation and in connection at one end with the upper end of the other header, and a snperheating coil below the series of enerating coils and in connection with the ot or end of the storage coil. 7

2. ln a power plant, a series of vertically spaced horizontally spiral generating coils, a pair of headers outside the said coils, and to which the coils are connected at their ends at vertically spaced points along the headers,

a preheating coil discharging into one of said headers, a helical storage coil surrounding the several generating coils in spaced relation and connected at its lower end to the upper end of the other header, and a horizontally spiral superheating coil below the series of generating coils and connected at one end to the upper end of the said storage coil.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto enhscriloed my name.

FREDEMGK it. Tlltll llmiE, 

